Five Keys To Create a Killer Blog

Some blogs are killers – they grab you, pull you in, and keep you reading long past the front page of posts. Then there’s the blogs that sort of bonk you over the head and leave you dazed and confused, but alive. And then there are those that are more pussycat than a killer lion, purring along with a few faithful followers, but really doing little else. Which one of those best describes your blog?

I’ve read quite a few blogs in my quest for blogging perfection and I can tell you that each and every one of those “killer” blogs has a few things in common. Let’s look at what those are:

Killer content – Now, we’re not talking 100% perfection every time. Sometimes good enough is, well, simply good enough. But one key element all the killer blogs have is an abundance of just the right amount of content on just the right topics. Images, videos, font-type, all of it comes together in such a way as to create that killer blog experience. And it comes together fairly routinely, too.

Buzz – Most killer blogs aren’t quietly hiding behind some bush or rock waiting to pounce on the unsuspecting passerby. Nope. Killer blogs are out there hunting you. They’ll use nearly every readily available channel to spread the word. And they encourage their readers to share the spoils, too. How often have you been directed to a killer post by word of mouth on a social network site? Or through a link in another blogger’s post? Killer blogs use every weapon in their arsenal to catch their prey.

They’ve learned from the masters – Just as the young lions are taught to track, pounce and kill their prey by the older, wiser, best hunters of the pride, so too do killer bloggers spend their time learning at the feet of others. They’ve studied the best, and may even copy their moves, at least at first. Since you are reading this, I can assume that’s what you’re doing now. Now this may sound strange, but I would encourage you (if you don’t already) to read some other blogs for bloggers, too. You can’t ever have too much good advice.

They share the spoils – Most killer blogs aren’t shy about turning over a post every now and then to other bloggers. Or to a team of bloggers. The kill is big enough for all to eat their share. Likewise, killer bloggers will often post on other sites, too. Now, it’s nobody’s business but yours to grow your readership, but having a little help can boost your killer status. Just don’t overburden others with your work.

Growls and grunts and groans – Controversy sells. Everybody knows that. And it doesn’t hurt if you include a bit of the controversial (or at least debatable) in your content. Growling in defeat or displeasure about something that others may be more inclined to howl in victory and support of is a good way to encourage comments and interaction from your readers, too. Then there’s the grunts and groans – the goofy jokes, the silly videos, the stupid stuff that makes people laugh, or at least smirk and shake their heads. There’s one killer advertising blog that posts the “bad ads” of each week every Friday. These kinds of posts draw people in who might not ordinarily visit. Then, they get to looking around for more “good stuff” and discover the serious, seriously deadly, killer content that lurks beneath.